Italy-returnee dies in Bhairab, locals suspect COVID-19

An expatriate, who returned home from Italy, died in a local hospital in Bhairab upazila of Kishoreganj on Sunday night. Local people suspected he was suffering from coronavirus (COVID-19) infection.

The deceased, 60, returned to Bangladesh on 28 February, confimed government officials of the upazila.

Following the incident, the upazila administration has limited the movement of people of two private hospitals and 10 houses. Those who were working at the two hospitals on the night have been asked to stay inside the hospital. Police have been deployed around the deceased's house.

The locals said, the man had been living in Italy for more than two decades. His two sons are currently in Italy. As the situation in Italy reached a critical stage, he decided to return home.

However, the man did not report to the upazila corona prevention committee after his arrival from Italy. He did not even go to any hospital for health check-ups and was hanging out in the area, they claimed.

According to the locals, he had been suffering from fever and shortness of breath since Saturday. He was taken to a local private hospital around 9:00pm when his condition deteriorated. After staying there for some time, the physicians advised his family members to treat him with heart disease. He was shifted to another hospital where the physicians declared him dead.

Upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) Lubna Farzana, upazila health and family planning officer Bulbul Ahmed, acting officer-in-charge (OC) of Bhairab police station Md Shahin and other government officials visited the spot.

When asked whether the Italy returnee was asked to go to the hospital or to stay home in quarantine, a local councillor said that the returnee was not instructed as he was physically well.

"He returned home 24 days ago. And so nobody asked him to remain in quarantine," the councillor said.

The man used to say his prayers regularly in the mosque and mix with neighbours.

Upazila health and family planning officer Bulbul Ahmed said, "The person was not on our list. I came to know, he was in home quarantine. As I learned from family members, he had fever and shortness of breath. The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) has been informed to collect the samples."

"He will be buried in the procedure followed in COVID-19 patients' burial," he added.